


Risks Worth Taking

by Teyamarra



Series: Risks Worth Taking [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Confessions, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23592529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teyamarra/pseuds/Teyamarra
Summary: “I think the elevator just stopped. Don’t worry though, the backup generator should kick in soon.” Luke replied, taking a step toward the elevator buttons and pressing the black service button.“I hope so, because I cannot die in this elevator with you!” Penelope screamed. Why did it always have to be him? Why did she always have to be in life or death situations with the man next to her?
Relationships: Luke Alvez/Penelope Garcia
Series: Risks Worth Taking [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701514
Comments: 7
Kudos: 115





	Risks Worth Taking

**Author's Note:**

> This has a rough timeline of around season 13-14, but ignoring the entire Barnes plot. I might add this to a series of onshots! It just depends if I get a muse. Let me know what you think <3

It was Tuesday evening; the team had gotten back from a case four hours ago. Normally the entire team would’ve either been terrorizing the patrons of O’Keefe’s or at their homes, getting some much-needed rest. However, that wasn’t the case, this particular case had been rough. It entailed a lot bureaucrats and red tape, which meant even more paperwork for Penelope. The team had stepped on some toes, and Penelope had the joy of documenting every last one of their misconducts. While most of the team, excluding Luke, had gone home almost two hours ago, Penelope had just packed up her paperwork and headed towards the elevator. Much to her chagrin, Luke Alvez was right on her tail.

“Newbie.” Penelope glanced towards him briefly, swiftly turning her gaze back towards the concrete flooring. Things were always so weird between them, even if over the last year and a half she had opened up to him quite a bit.

“Penelope.” He nodded, stepping forward to push the elevator button, “You’re here late.”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Luke’s hands shot up in his defense, “I just meant that your speedy fingers are usually out of here by nine, nine-thirty at the latest.”

“Well cases like these cause a little more work for me in terms of paperwork...” Penelope trailed off as the elevator dinged. She quickly stepped inside, Luke behind her.

Luke stepped forward and pressed the elevator button for the ground floor. “So, any plans to night? Maybe working on a few fingering techniques…for your clarinet?”

Penelope couldn’t help the involuntary eyeroll that took over her body, “Oh jisses, I just can’t contain my laughter.”

“Not even a smile or a grin? You’re killing me, chica.”

Penelope didn’t get a chance to respond before the lights in the elevator flicked off and the elevator shook. “What was that?”

“I think the elevator just stopped. Don’t worry though, the backup generator should kick in soon.” Luke replied, taking a step toward the elevator buttons and pressing the black service button.

“I hope so, because I cannot die in this elevator with you!” Penelope screamed. Why did it always have to be him? Why did she always have to be in life or death situations with the man next to her?

“Relax, relax! No one’s dying.” Luke replied and almost on cue the generator kicked in and the intercom sounded.

“This is SSA Luke Alvez with Behavior Analysis Unit, I’m with Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia, and we’re stuck on the fourth floor. How soon can we have the elevator back up and running?” Luke called out.

“It’s going to be a while, at the least three hours. Sit tight and we’ll get you guys out of there as soon as possible.” The voice boomed backed.

“See? We’ll be out of here in about three hours. No harm no foul.” Luke said, turning towards Penelope, with a grin she would describe a stupidly charming.

“Plenty harm, plenty foul newbie. Three hours is more than enough time for us to run out of air!”

“You know that’s a myth, right?” Luke retorted, receiving a death glare from Penelope. “Look Garcia, we’re gonna be fine! In fact, I know a great way to past the time.”

“Yeah, like what?” Penelope asked sulkily. She was in full pout mode right now and Luke couldn’t be more attracted to her at this moment. Not that, that was what he wanted to think about at the moment. In fact, he was trying his hardest not to think about that.

“It’s a little too cramped to play a game of truth or dare, maybe a game of twenty-one questions? A hundred percent honesty, no backing down. You up to the challenge chica?” He taunted.

Penelope sputtered, “Am I – am **_I_** up to the challenge? Bring it newbster.”

Luke leaned against the wall of the elevator, his tongue playing inside of his cheek, “Alright, let’s see. What’s with your last name? You said it came from the family that took you in…”

Penelope cleared her throat, “Technically it was my stepfather’s last name. He met my mom when I was four and he adopted me when they got married. They died in a car accident when I was eighteen.” Penelope paused talking about her family never got easier, but she’d learned a long time ago how to not let it shake her. “Why did you join the army?”

“It’s kind of the family business.” Luke shrugged, “My grandfather was in the army, and so was my father. It just felt right.”

“I get that. I always knew I wanted to fight crime, it always felt right, but it wasn’t the family business.” Penelope chuckled, “It scared the shit out of them. Daddy wanted me to become a doctor.”

“Is that why you joined the FBI? To fight crime?”

“I didn’t technically join the FBI, at least not in the way you did. After my parents died I kind of went a little crazy. I dropped out of college, I went underground, and I got mixed up in this underground hacking ring.” Penelope explained the ultimatum Hotch presented her with and how she graciously accepted because orange jumpsuits weren’t her style.

“Wow. Penelope Garcia is kind of a badass, huh?”

“Just a little bit.” Penelope grinned, “My turn again. What’s the real reason you and Lisa broke up? What did you really do to make that incredibly beautiful and smart doctor pack her bags and skip town?”

Luke was hesitant and Penelope could sense that, but she couldn’t sense why. He hadn’t seemed too upset by the breakup, but maybe she had misread him.

Penelope reassured him, “You know I won’t judge you right?” Luke arched his brows in disbelief. “Okay, maybe I’ll judge you a little bit. Seriously though, you can tell me.”

Luke nodded, “Things were good, until she figured out that I was interested in someone else.”

“Did you che-“ Luke interrupted her before she had a chance to finish her question. “I never cheated, I wouldn’t. She could sense that I wasn’t fully committed to the relationship, though.” He shrugged, “It was a mutual thing.”

“So, who is this mystery lady that you’re fixated on?”

“Not so fast! It’s my turn…what should I quiz you on?” Luke asked teasingly, “Why do you have such a disdain for me? Is it because I’m devastatingly handsome…or is it because I replaced Derek Morgan? I’m going with the latter”

“I uh don’t have a disdain for you…” Penelope paused, “Let me rephrase that, I don’t have a disdain for you anymore. Look, when you came in I was reeling from losing my best friend of the last thirteen years, and then I lost my boss. You were just collateral damage.”

“I get that…so Derek Morgan…you guys were just friends?” Luke asked curiously.

Penelope gasped. It certainly wasn’t the first time she’d gotten that question. She’d been asked that question since her second week at the FBI. Everyone had seen that spark between the two of them, but they’d denied. They had always denied. “Seriously newbie? Is this your way of getting on my good side?”

“What? I’ve heard the rumors; you guys are basically legends in sexual harassment seminars.” Luke replied.

“We never slept together if that’s what you’re asking, but our relationship wasn’t really platonic. At least not in the conventional way. It’s complicated, to be honest. We loved each other more than we should, but I was his confidante. I was the only person that he could fully trust and I think that scared the shit out of him.” Penelope shrugged, “I don’t think he trusts his mother or Savannah as much as he trusts me. I think us adding a sexual component to our relationship would’ve made him too vulnerable, and Derek Morgan isn’t made to be vulnerable.”

The elevator fell silent, Penelope had never told anyone that. Hell, her and Derek had only talked about it once, and he’d basically ran away from her after. The whole Morgan and Garcia relationship was a weird, semi-painful thing Penelope didn’t like talking about. In the beginning it’d hurt like hell. She’d thought it had been about her, maybe he wasn’t attracted to her, but she’d gotten over that a long time ago. Now her love for Derek was strictly platonic or as platonic as it could be.

Penelope shook her head to clear her thoughts. She did not need to travel down that road. “Hey Newbie?”

Luke grunted, “Hm?” He asked.

“You tricked me. You asked two questions, and you still haven’t answered mine. Who is the mystery lady? She must be pretty special, and since you’ve been deflecting, I must know her. Am I right?”

“Yes, you are. Consider that one of your questions.” Luke nodded with a smirk.

Penelope rolled her eyes, “Oh c’mon! I still get another one anyways, so spill.”

“How about you guess? If you get it right, I’ll let you know.” Luke suggested.

“Hey, hey, hey. That wasn’t the agreement. Remember, a hundred percent honesty, no backing down, **_chica_**.” Penelope replied mocking Luke’s accent.

“I’m just putting your profiler skills to the test, but if you’re not up to that, I guess I could tell you. Her name is- “

“Ahh, shush it. You’re good Luke Alvez, real good, but not as good as me.” Penelope responded, interrupting Luke from spilling the deets on his lady love. Penelope sought through her brain like a large computer. There were only a few people that they knew outside of work, and there were even fewer women.

“So, it’s either Anita from O’Keefe’s or Mandy from the diner. Who is it? Who’s your lady love?” Penelope guessed.

“And if I said neither of them were my so-called _lady love_?”

“That would mean it’s someone on the team. That’s even juicier! I would say JJ, but she’s married and married just doesn’t seem like your type. That leaves Tara or Emily, unless you’re interested in guys too? I’m sorry I just – “Luke stopped her midsentence, barely able to contain his laughter.

“I’m only interested in women, but you are missing someone on that list of yours…” Luke trailed off teasingly. Penelope’s face scrunched in confusion. Those were the only two women on their team, so that meant he had a crush on someone outside of the team, but inside of the bureau.

“I see those wheels turning, chica, but it’s not what you’re thinking. You were right, it’s someone on the team.”

“Okay you lost me here, newbie. Who is it?” Penelope asked curiously. Luke eyed her expectedly. Penelope wasn’t dense, maybe a little naïve at times, but not dense. She’d figure it out. Luke just wasn’t sure what her reaction would be. He’d tried profiling it out of her, but every time he got something conclusive that she felt any attraction towards him, she’d ice him out and it was driving him insane.

He didn’t have to wait much longer for her reaction because within seconds her face showed complete understanding.

“Oh. Oh! Wow…okay.”

To say Penelope was shocked was an understatement. How had she not seen it? Well she had sort of seen it, but she was so busy trying to keep him at arm’s length that she hadn’t registered it for what it was. Luke, Mr. tall, dark, and handsome was attracted to her.

“Since when?” Penelope’s voice was several octaves higher than it had been all night.

Luke shrugged, “I don’t really know. At one point I was just trying to get you to like me and then the next thing I knew I just wanted to grab you and kiss you every chance I saw you.”

“Oh.”

Suddenly the elevator was a hundred degrees hotter and Penelope felt the sudden need to sit down. It didn’t help that she was somehow inching closer and closer to Luke, as if some invisible string was pulling them together.

“Penelope?” Luke’s voice was husky. Why was his voice so damn husky?

“Uh-huh?” Penelope responded, her breathing ragged and shallow.

“It’s my turn. Do you want to kiss me?”

“I’d very much like to do that…” Penelope trailed off, her lips colliding with Luke’s.

The kiss was tentative at first but it progressed into a feverish passionate kiss that left both parties hot and bothered. Penelope’s hands had somehow made their way under Luke’s t-shirt, trailing over his abs, and Luke’s hands were firmly, possessively, placed on her hip, pulling her against him. They could’ve gone on like that forever and they would’ve been perfectly content, but the elevator had a weird sense of timing and it chose that moment to start up again.

“It looks like we’re saved…” Luke said with his classic shit-eating grin.

“It seems that way.”

The rest of the elevator ride was comfortably quiet. Every so often they would glance at each other and grin. When they finally made it to the garage, they said their goodbyes and headed towards their perspective vehicles until Penelope suddenly stopped.

“Luke!” She called out spinning her platforms.

“Yeah?”

“My turn, coffee tomorrow, before work.” Penelope’s voice was shaky, nervous. She normally didn’t take risks life this, but for some reason this felt like a risk worth taking.

Several feet away, Luke Alvez had never felt closer to Penelope Garcia as he screamed out, “That didn’t sound like a question, but either way. Yes, I’d like to.”

Tomorrow they’d probably sober up and chock the entire thing up to elevator fumes, but tonight they’d both go home with a glimmer of hope, and a want for something more. When they’d kissed they both felt the spark, and they both wanted to know where that spark would lead. Even if it meant bending a few fraternization rules.


End file.
